The overiding sentiment on this site, and in the media noise, is: we need a "new voice" and "new ideas".
Now, let's assume we can somehow nab seven-premiership winning Bennett who poured icy cold water on the Eels' idea a few weeks back.
It's unlikely we could get a better credentialed coach.
Let's put the obvious reality aside, which is, without certainty of knowing what the Eels' footy board, a seemingly optimistic, stoic "turtle wins the race" duck sailing smoothly on the surface is really doing underwater. Perhaps, paddling like mad. In all likelihood, it's unlikely that the footy board - who apparently have a very transparent and honest relationship with Brad Arthur and would go through the "front door" if there was a new coach on the horizon - have made any serious moves on the coaching front.
In all likelihood, Arthur will see our the rest of the year, at least. And when Moses returns if there is a renaissancenof sorts the landscape could change temporarily. A few wins could change the temperature quickly, quieting the rising drum noises and some of the natives.
The thing is, even if we nab Bennett somehow, which is far from a certainly, how long would he with us how long? Three years?
How much can he change in that time?
The tale of the tables tells we're in decline, overall as a footy club.
Our NRL squad currently sits 13th (gone up from 14th because the Tigers had a bigger loss than us this week), bottom five, with the 13th worst defence and since mid last year concede over 35 points a game away on average. Our Cup side is also 13th, in last place, with the third worst defence in the competition. Our Jersey Flegg side is also 13th, in last place, also with the third worst defence in the competition. Our woman's team is 10th, in last place, with the worst defence in the competition. Anyone seeing a trend?
Sure, it's only round and "not the end of the world" to quote Clint Gutherson from earlier mid-week. Just before the Manly loss.
From a distant galaxy, the good news is we're doing well in our juniors. Something not new. Our SG Ball Cup U-19s are 5th (from 16). Our Harold Mathew's Cup U-16 squad is 3rd (from 17). The polar opposite of what is going on higher up.
It seems the younger we go, with our enviable nursery, the better the results, at the moment.
It echoes the sentiments of 100% Footy by Gus Gould who pointed to our "cultural" woes running deeper than a head coach.
"Brad Arthur is not the trouble with why Parramatta are where they are now," Gus pointed out.
"In all the time that I have followed Parramatta, and I was a Parramatta junior, they have never really set up their pathways properly."
"They've never produced a culture, a character of their own, that's brought through the grades with young fellas wanting to be there and a part of the club. And that in the end becomes the problem of the head coach."
"In the end, that becomes the problem for the head coach, who is trying to win games today when no one has really planned adequately for the future."
"Someone has got to take that responsibility - that's not Brad Arthur's responsibility."
"They have great sides in the junior representative fields but it doesn't transition through to a culture or stream of players coming through in the club."
"It's become exhausting for him now."
Back to the we-nab-Bennett Hypothetical.
One of the other benefits that comes with Bennett is his trusty leitenant Dr Jauncey (see above). Bennett's Dr Massey of sorts. They go back decades from Bennett's Broncos premiership winning days. Jauncey is a highly successful sports psychologist, probably one of our best. It's also intriguing, why hasn't our footy board approached him? Results since 2022 suggest we may need a damn good shrink.
So, what's the best case scenario?
Bennett does what he has done before. And we do a St George 2010 to win a title. See above. The longest title drought in the NRL would be broken.
We celebrate. Drink. Dance. Be merry.
But, then what?
Think about what happened after Bennett left St George. The Broncos. Newcastle. Souths. The Broncos have finally started to regroup after their first wooden spoon in 2020 and make good on their God given talents and advantages. But how are Souths going right now?
There are two sliding door moments, here, depending on your perspective.
If you're an out and out optimist and believe we don't have deep rooted cultural issues or more fundamental issues - just need a new coaching voice - it's simple. We just keep throwing everything at the best coach we can find. Problem solved.
However, another door leads to what Jack Gibson said: winning starts at the front office. Perhaps, culture is a complex interdependent web, top to toe?
And in that case, we're going to get back where we started. After all the red wine has finished and the music dies down.
Replies
I'm 49 Frankie and I have given up all hope of ever seeing us win another premiership in my lifetime.
Out of the 4 teams that haven't won a premiership as a national competition who do you think will be first to have their cherry popped? It could well be the newest team.
Nailed it, on both what we SHOULD do and what we WILL do.
It's sad, but you nailed it Mutts.
Yep, agree with you gents, Frankie & Captain. Mutts is spot on, though how long Arthur lasts is anyone's guess.
IMO, the board would be negligent not to do everything in their power to get Bennett. He's our best shot at a title in the next few years. Perhaps, for decades.
We don't have that long before key personnel such as our fullback and engine room will be blowing a few head gaskets, and we'll need to rebuild and reshape important cogs.
Next time, we might not be as lucky as we were in 2019-2022, especially if we don't see major cultural restructuring.
Mutts I don't even think Barrett gets to interim, we will sack BA in finals time when we miss it. Even then we might consider and extension to keep those off-contact. My fear is that exactly, we wait too late and just either say let's get who will be a BA like or just keep him until another is available. But if he is kept for 2025 it is a must with all assistants off-contract he hires those who have a legit shot at being a head coach elsewhere not one of his assistants has become a HC. Where is all the other coaches with his experience have had at least one or two coaches turn into a HC. Even give him an ultimatum now say to him would you be open to new assistants and we are involved with who it is, if he pushed back then part ways.
If anything I would have sit down this bye week and say to him how you feeling and anything you feel needs changing. Let's see what he says.
Probably right Mutts
The board should have this as their new theme song
https://youtu.be/yuoFsi2iIi0?si=n8wErBM__XnvHl_W
This is sad because it's likely true.
I reckon Mutts is half right.
I still believe the board will not sack him until they see if he can fix this - give him until round 9 next year. That's a more accurate assessment of how paralyzed by fear this board is.
Taking anything Gus says seriously is like taking driving lessons from a blind man .
Gus clearly forgets the record number of club championships the club had won because of their juniors, he clearly forgets that every club copied what Parramatta started to do with junior development in the late 90s because Parramatta essentially started the very first pathways program in the game , and he cleary forgets how Parramatta for nearly a decade between 1999 - 2009 supplied more first grade talent to the game than any other club .
You can have all the talented kids coming through in the world but if you have a dope as head coach then it means nothing .
In late 80s and early 90s Parramatta had a lot of talent coming through but the club had bums as first grade coach , then Parramatta hired a good first grade in Brian Smith and then all the talent coming through had a coach who knew how to bring them into first grade and teach what needed to be taught and Parramatta had a production line of talent.
Ezra Man was brought into first grade by Kevin Walters who has forgotten more about footy than BA knows , Ezra has played half the games that DB has yet is way in front in his development than DB is . Is one more talented than the other ? No , but one has had a better mentor who has brought him through into first grade than the the other . Having Brad Arthur as your mentor and coach as a kid coming into first grade is like having Beavis and Butthead mentoring a youngster on how to pick up women.
Gold comments fongy 😎🙌🏻🙌🏻
so true
mentor what ???llol
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